How Trump made his Justice Department a tool for retribution

The Trump administration's Justice Department has devolved into a tool for retribution against the president's adversaries, with cases being dropped or pursued based on personal political reasons rather than evidence.

Since taking office, President Trump has made it clear that he intends to use his attorney general and other top officials as personal lawyers. This approach has resulted in a shift in priorities at the department, with an emphasis on prosecuting individuals who are critical of the president, such as former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

The DOJ's actions have been marked by controversy and irregularity, including the pardoning of individuals accused of violent crimes related to the January 6th US Capitol insurrection. This move has been criticized as a clear attempt to silence critics and undermine accountability for those responsible for violence against American democracy.

One notable example of this approach was the case of Mel Gibson, who was accused of domestic violence. The pardon attorney, Elizabeth Oyer, refused to grant Trump's request for a pardon, citing concerns about Gibson's history of violent behavior. As a result, Oyer was reassigned and ultimately fired from her position.

In another instance, the Civil Rights Division faced pressure to drop a case involving allegations of racial discrimination in hiring practices by a fire department in Georgia. The division's lawyers were instructed to dismiss the case due to concerns that the plaintiffs were alleging "reverse discrimination," which is a highly contentious issue.

The DOJ has also become increasingly divided within itself, with some officials pushing back against Trump's directives and others seeming more willing to follow orders without question. This has created a toxic environment within the department, where loyalty to the president often takes precedence over principles of justice and fairness.

Furthermore, Trump's demand for $230 million in compensation from the DOJ for investigations into his own conduct during the Biden administration has been seen as an attempt to exploit federal resources for personal gain. Many DOJ officials have expressed concern about this move, citing concerns about corruption and the misuse of taxpayer dollars.

Ultimately, the Trump administration's use of the Justice Department as a tool for retribution against his adversaries raises serious questions about the rule of law and the integrity of American democracy. If allowed to continue unchecked, such behavior can erode trust in institutions and undermine the very principles that have always defined our nation.

I mean, think about it... isn't it weird when you're supposed to be a neutral institution like the Justice Department, but instead you're being used as a tool for the president's personal agenda? Like, what happened to the whole idea of being impartial and fair? And then you get people like Mel Gibson getting pardons just because Trump wants them to... it's like, doesn't that undermine the whole concept of accountability? I also don't get why Trump is demanding $230 million from the DOJ for his own investigations... isn't that kinda like asking a referee to judge their own game? It's all just so... suspicious.

omg u guys its like total chaos over at the DOJ under trump ‍ they r using it as a tool 4 retribution against ppl who speak out against him idk how much more of this we can take it feels like they're more concerned w/ silencing critics than w/ upholding justice & fairness ‍ and lets not forget about that pardon for mel gibson w/ all his past domestic violence issues what was trump thinking lol anyway this is just another example of how the trump admin is more interested in serving their own interests than doing whats right

this is getting outta hand... who gets to decide what's "fair" in a case? some dude with a grudge against his enemies? not exactly how justice is supposed to work. and what's next? paying off prosecutors to go easy on friends? it's like he thinks the law is just a suggestion or something this is why people lose faith in institutions...

Can you believe this?! The DOJ is basically being run by Trump's personal PR team now . It's like they're more worried about covering up for their buddies than actually doing justice . I mean, what's next? Firing prosecutors who are investigating crimes committed by the president himself? This is a clear case of corruption and abuse of power . And don't even get me started on the pardoning of Mel Gibson... like, come on man! The fact that Oyer got fired for not going along with Trump's request is just ridiculous . It's like they're trying to silence dissenting voices and stifle accountability . The whole thing reeks of authoritarianism and a complete disregard for the rule of law . This is not what America is supposed to be about .

The way things are going down at the DOJ is really disturbing... it feels like they're more focused on protecting Trump's skin than doing justice I mean, who gets pardoned for violent crimes? It just doesn't add up And what's with this whole 'reverse discrimination' thing? It's a pretty loaded term and should be used way more carefully Not to mention the fact that some DOJ officials are actually being bullied into following orders without question... it's like they're losing their sense of purpose and integrity As for Trump demanding $230 million from the DOJ, that just smells like corruption Something needs to change in there, or else we'll lose what makes America great: fairness and accountability

I'm kinda worried about what's going on with the US Justice Department under Trump . It seems like they're more focused on punishing people who disagree with him than actually doing their job to uphold justice . This whole thing is getting out of hand, and it's not just the pardon cases - it's the way they're handling investigations into his own actions too . I mean, $230 million? That's just insane! What's next? The DOJ becoming a tool for personal gain instead of serving the public interest? It's gotta stop, or else we'll lose trust in our institutions and that would be super bad news .

I'm saying, this is crazy! The DOJ should be above politics, you know? It's like they're playing a game of whack-a-mole with justice and accountability. First it's James Comey, then it's Letitia James, and now Mel Gibson gets pardoned for domestic violence... what's next?

And can we talk about the fire department case in Georgia? Alleging "reverse discrimination" is not even a thing, fam! It's just plain discriminatory to me. The DOJ should be all about fairness and equality, not playing politics with people's lives.

I'm also low-key salty about the $230 million demand from Trump. Like, what even is that? Is he trying to buy his way out of accountability or something? It's just so sad when the DOJ gets politicized like this. The whole thing feels like a big ol' mess to me...

I'm telling you, something's off here... Like, think about it, Trump wants his top officials to be personal lawyers for him? That's like setting up a kangaroo court right under your nose! And now we're seeing these cases being dropped or pursued based on who's friend with whom? It's just too convenient.

And don't even get me started on the pardon of Mel Gibson. Like, what happened to due process there? I mean, I'm not saying Gibson didn't do something wrong, but you've got to have a fair shake at trial before you're granting pardons left and right.

And another thing, this whole division within the DOJ is just too suspicious. I mean, how many times do we see powerful people pushing back against those in power? It's like they're trying to create some kind of narrative that everything is okay when it's not.

You know what really gets me? The fact that Trump's demanding $230 million from the DOJ for investigations into his own conduct. Like, that's just plain dirty. You can't make this stuff up!

I'm really worried about what's happening with the DOJ under Trump's admin . It feels like they're more focused on punishing people for speaking out against the president than actually doing their job to uphold justice and protect everyone equally. I mean, think about it... if we start silencing critics and dissidents just because they disagree with someone in power, where does that leave us? Don't we need free speech to hold those in power accountable? And what's the message to all the people who are already marginalized or oppressed? That their voices don't matter, that they're not worthy of protection under the law? It's a toxic environment and it needs to be called out ASAP . We can't just let this kind of behavior slide without questioning it on a deep level... what are we really fighting for here?

I'm so sick of this dude Trump . Like, come on! He's using his own people to silence critics? That's not how it's supposed to work. I mean, what's next? Is he gonna make up laws just 'cause they go against him? The whole thing with Mel Gibson is wild too... like, who tries to pardon someone for domestic violence? And can we talk about this ridiculous $230 million demand from Trump? It's like he thinks the DOJ is his personal ATM . Newsflash, buddy: it's not working out that way. The DOJ should be about justice, not just covering your behind. This whole thing is making me wanna lose my mind

Can't believe what's goin' on at DOJ rn Trump is basically turnin his own lawyer and expect everyone else to follow suit? Like, if you're gonna prosecute people for treason or somethin', at least make sure they actually did nothin' wrong, right? This whole thing feels like a big ol' witch hunt to me. Oyer got fired from her job just 'cause she had the guts to say no to Trump's pardon request? Unbelievable and what's with all these cases gettin dropped or pursued on flimsy excuses? It's like they're tryin to silence critics and cover their own butts . Trump needs to stop playin' politics with justice and start doin' some actual work, ya feel?

omg u guys cant believe what's goin on with trump's DOJ!!! they're literally using it as a tool 2 silence critics & get away wit all sorts of shady stuff ! like mel gibson, he was accused of domestic violence but the pardon attorney refused to grant him a pardon cuz he had a history of violent behavior... can u even imagine?! and its not just that, they're also droping cases left & right based on personal reasons rather than evidence ! its like they wanna cover up all these shady dealings & get away wit it ! the fact that trump's demandin $230 million in compensation from the DOJ 4 investigations into his own conduct during the biden admin is just plain sus... he's basically tryin 2 exploit federal resources 4 personal gain ! anyone think they're gonna get away wit this?!

The fact that Trump's DOJ is basically a personal legal team with no regard for actual evidence or justice is super disturbing . It's like they're more interested in silencing critics than serving the public interest. And don't even get me started on those pardons... I mean, come on, pardoning people who committed violent crimes? That's just a slap in the face to the victims and their families . The whole thing is just a recipe for disaster, and if we let it continue, we risk losing everything that makes this country great .

Ugh I'm literally so done with this whole thing Trump's DOJ is basically a joke at this point. Like what even is going on here? You've got cases being dropped or pursued based on who's friends with the prez and who isn't? It's like they're playing some twisted game of politics where the only rule is "be nice to me, or you'll get punished"

And don't even get me started on the pardon thing. Mel Gibson getting a free pass because Trump said so? Are you kidding me? And what about all the other people who are still rotting in jail for similar crimes? It's just not right .

And can we talk about how corrupt this whole system is? Like, the DOJ is literally being used as a tool for personal revenge and now they're trying to get paid by Trump? What even is that? It's like he thinks he can just buy his way out of accountability or something

I swear, if we don't start holding people in power accountable for this kind of behavior, I'm going to lose it completely . We need a complete overhaul of the DOJ and some serious checks on Trump's powers. Otherwise, we're basically done for as a country .

OMG, this is getting outta hand ! The DOJ is literally becoming a personal lawyer for Trump ! I mean, what's next? Using federal funds to pay off Trump's personal debts ? It's all about silencing critics and undermining accountability . Like, come on, guys! The rule of law isn't supposed to be up for grabs based on who's wearing the right badge .

And can we talk about how messy this is for the rest of us ? We're supposed to have faith in our institutions because they're supposed to uphold justice and fairness, not just serve as a personal plaything for the president . This is exactly what's wrong with the system – people are more worried about being loyal to Trump than doing what's right .

I'm so done with this toxic environment at the DOJ . We need real leaders who care about justice, not just serving their own egos . Can't we just have a law enforcement agency that's focused on keeping people safe, not just covering up for friends?